This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5630, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree.
This course is part of the Semiconductor Devices Specialization
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About this Course
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University of Colorado Boulder
CU-Boulder is a dynamic community of scholars and learners on one of the most spectacular college campuses in the country. As one of 34 U.S. public institutions in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), we have a proud tradition of academic excellence, with five Nobel laureates and more than 50 members of prestigious academic academies.
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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Quantum Theory Of Semiconductors
In this module we will introduce the course and the Semiconductor Devices specialization. In addition, we will review the following topics: Type of solids, Bravais lattices, Lattice with basis, Point defects, Dislocation, Bulk crystal growth, Epitaxy, Energy levels of atoms and molecules, Energy bands of solids, Energy bands in real space, Energy bands in reciprocal lattice, Energy band structures of metal and insulator, Definition of semiconductor, Electrons and holes, and Effective mass.
Carrier Statistics
In this module, we will cover carrier statistics. Topics include: Currents in semiconductors, Density of states, Fermi-Dirac probability function, Equilibrium carrier concentrations, Non-degenerate semiconductors, Intrinsic carrier concentration, Intrinsic Fermi level, Donor and acceptor impurities, Impurity energy levels, Carrier concentration in extrinsic semiconductor, and Fermi level of extrinsic semiconductors.
Currents in Semiconductor
This module introduces you to currents in semiconductors. Topics we will cover include: Thermal motion of carriers, Carrier motion under electric field, Drift current, Mobility and conductivity, Velocity saturation, Diffusion of carriers, General expression for currents in semiconductor, Carrier concentration and mobility, and the Van der Pauw technique.
Carrier Dynamics
In this module we explore carrier dynamics. Topics include: Electronic transitions in semiconductor, Radiative transition, Direct and indirect bandgap semiconductors, Roosbroeck-Shockley relationship, Radiative transition rate at non-equilibrium, Minority carrier lifetime, Localized states, Recombination center and trap, Shockley-Hall-Reed recombination, Surface recombination, Auger recombination, Derivation of continuity equation, Non-equilibrium carrier concentration, Quasi-Fermi level, Current and quasi-Fermi level, Non-uniform doping, and Non-uniform bandgap.
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- 5 stars66.66%
- 4 stars20.17%
- 3 stars6.14%
- 2 stars2.19%
- 1 star4.82%
TOP REVIEWS FROM SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS
Great course for electronics enthusiastic learners. Specially the homeworks are really helpful
A very useful course for me to understand semiconductor physics. And systematically operated course.
Very informative course and nice approach to solve problems. Well tailored course suited to under graduate engineering students
Many topics i already studied in my varsity.But,here i get better insights on those topics.
About the Semiconductor Devices Specialization
The courses in this specialization can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5630-5632, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Enroll here.

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